Folding infant-carrying vehicle



Dec. 21, 1948; J, DQSTAL 2,456,932

FOLDING INFANT-CARRYING} VEHICLE Filed NOV. 23, 1945 INVENTOR- 5. 005/174 A TTOR/VE) Patented Dec. 21, 1948 iihii'i'ED STATES i rtii'hlbli @FFECE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to infant-carry ing vehicles, and aims to provide an improved and compact construction of a collapsible or folding type adapted to be conveniently folded into compact portable form when not in use.

Accordingly one of the objects of the invention is to provide a neat-appearing boxlike type of construction adapted to be conveniently carried when not in actual use and also readily adapted to be converted into an efficient wheeled vehicle by the mere release of the wheels into vehiclesupporting position and the lifting of one end portion of the device into position for serving as a seat for the infant, and also the pulling of the handle of the device into projected relation for serving as the propelling and steering means for the vehicle.

With the foregoing general object in view, as well as various minor objects as will app-ear in the course of the detailed specification, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of construction embodying my improvements, after which those features and combinations thereof deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding or collapsible vehicle constructed in accordance with the present invention and in its folded or collapsed condition, the same being viewed from the underside of the vehicle;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken in a plane near one side of the vehicle, with the parts thereof opened into operative posi tion; and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same, with dotted lines representing the wheel structures retracted into their inoperative position.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, my improved construction is illustrated as comprising an oblong box-shaped or receptacle form of frame or body, having What may be termed a main rear portion ill and a front hinged portion it having a conventional hinge connection [4 with the top of the rear portion ID. This hinged sectional arrangement permits the front portion 52 to be swung into inverted position upon top of the rear end of the main portion NJ, for serving as a seat member as illustrated in Figure 2.

The bottom of the main portion ill of the frame is formed with a bottom opening l5 somewhat smaller than the bottom itself, thus leaving a marginal flange 56 projecting inwardly around the bottom. Within this opening it is provided a pair of outwardly swinging panels i8 serving as a closure for said opening; and to the inner faces of said panels are attached a set of bracket elements 2t provided with pintles 22 for the journaling of suitable wheels 24, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The outer longitudinal margins of the panels 58 are connected by hinge structures 26 to the inner edges of the flanges iii and also preferably provided with coil spring elements 28 arranged to actuate the panels normally into the outwardly projecting or wheelsupporting position represented in Figures 2 and 3, in which said flanges and the bottom margin of the frame or body serve as stop means for limiting said outward swinging movement of the panels. Suitable latch means 29 is located at the meeting edges of the panels for holding the same in closed or collapsed relation, in opposition to said spring action.

Above the wheel-carrying panels l 8 is provided a fixed interior false bottom panel 30 having suitable openings 32 for accommodating the brackets 20 and wheels 2 1 in their retracted position, as represented by the dotted lines in Figure 3, a similar opening 32 also serving to give access to the latching means 29 referred to.

For propelling the vehicle by hand, a suitable handle structure is provided having fixed-sections 33 set at an angle in the opposite rear corners of the main frame or body portion l0, and frictional telescoping sections 34 in sufficient number to' provide an appropriate length of the handle, the outermost sections being connected by a transverse handle portion 35 which also serves as a carrying handle when the construction is collapsed into the form illustrated in Figure 1.

It will thus be apparent that I have devised an improved and very neat and compact design of construction for carrying out the desired objects of my invention. When not in use, the vehicle can be folded into very small and compact form as shown in Figure 1, and in this condition is adapted to be conveniently handled and carried by means of the exterior handle portion 35. When it is desired to make use of the vehicle, the folding seat portion i2 is simply opened up into the position shown in Figure 2, and the latch 29 moved to release the wheel-carrying panels [8 which automatically swing out into open position as represented in Figures 2 and 3, and the handle sections are also extended to the desired length for propelling the vehicle, as will be readily understood.

It may also be pointed out that a suitable guard strip 30 may be provided for the seat member 12 and mounted adjus-tably in loops or keepers 31, as indicated in Figure 2. Moreover, the interior of the main body portion it affords a convenient storage compartment 38 (for bottles, etc.), and this compartment may be provided with a suitable closure panel 10, the upper margin of which may also be swung from the hinge structure M (i. e., the panel 50 and member 12 simply having staggered hinge elements on the same hinge axis, as indicated in Figure 3) whereby said panel member d may drop normally into closure position at the front of said compartment 38, as represented in Figure 2. Furthermore, the lifting of the panel member 40 affords access through one of the openings 32 of the bottom 30 for operating the latching means as above referred to; and it will be understood that it is also necessary to raise said panel only a limited extent for permitting the folding operation 01" the wheels, and such lifting of the panel may be carried out without interference with any of the operative movements of the hinged front member !2.

The ends of the vehicle structure are illustrated as of convex or outwardly bowed design, and this may of course carry any further decorative pattern, as desired.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as one preferred form of construction for embodying the proposed features or improvement, I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A foldable infant-carrying vehicle comprising, an oblong body member having collapsible wheel structures adapted to be retracted into inoperative position within said body member, one end of said body member comprising a swinging seat portion movable into operative position on top of the remaining portion of the body member, and a swinging panel forming a partition between said seat portion and remaining body portion and serving as a closure for the space within said remaining portion of said body member when said seat portion is in raised operative position.

JOSEPH B. DOSTAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

